Captain's Corner

By CHAD CARNEY, Times Correspondent
Published October 27, 2007

What's awesome: Diving in autumn is so different from the summer, when fish are scattered. It's like being on a campus, virtually nobody in sight, and then autumn explodes with activity. Wrecks and artificials are covered in bait schools, with barracudas herding them on the surface, Spanish mackerel and kings cutting through everywhere in the middle and schools of big mangrove snappers attacking them from below. This vertical food chain also includes many sharks.

The week of the cobia: Divers have speared many impressive cobias all over the state, including a 60-pounder off Miami. My first breath on the Madeira Beach artificial reef included a pass from a 35-pound cobia. They only give you one chance and I took it, spearing the powerful fish, and began battling him back to the surface. Pound for pound, cobia fight harder than most pelagic species. They'll cut back, slacking the line and then run again with amazing power.

Tactics: Be prepared for a common cobia trick, playing possum. They'll let you ease them in close and then thrash ferociously once you touch the spear. This week, mine rolled many times, wrapping up line and jumping completely out of the water. Use a slip tip if possible for maximum purchase and shoot a little farther back on the spine than normal. The real danger is entanglement, so let him tire if the shot is good and away from structure; if not, let the gun float up to reduce the shooting line between you and the fish. Grab for the gills and have a sharp blade handy to pith the fish or cut yourself free.

Chad Carney teaches diving and spearfishing in the Tampa Bay area and can be called at (727)-423-7775 or visit his Web site at www.mobilescuba.com.

[Last modified October 26, 2007, 20:18:10]